A Gentleman
by SilJim
Summary: Based off of a dream I had where Dr. Hannibal Lecter is trying to help me get to the bases of "my problem," but it turns into something bigger... R&R PLEASE! All chapters have been revised, Completed.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So this is my first SOTL fan fiction (have mercy). I had recently had a dream where Dr. Hannibal Lecter was killing all these people and somehow he ended up capturing me as well. To my suprise, his motives are to help me answer a question that I myself have began to wonder about, but then I learn something darker...Enjoy(?)**

Chapter 1: Evening

I heard about the killings. He had struck again. Attacking doctors and lawyers "at random", so they said...I most certainly doubt it. But did I think I'd ever end up here? I don't know how or why he even took me, but I knew the answers would come soon.

I had awoken in an empty room. It appeared to be a cellar, but it was far from being the stereotypical, disturbing torture scene. No. This room was garnished in a golden color; the floors were tiled oh so cleverly. But as I examined further, I noticed that it lacked in two attributes: a door and windows. Not knowing what to do, I seated myself on the floor and waited for something to happen. _Waited for what? Him? _I didn't know. It was terribly quiet, only the sound of shuffling footsteps could be heard overhead. As my eyes traced the room's details a second time, one of the walls suddenly opened into a door. My focus was broken as _he_ came in. He was dressed, to my surprise, clean and professional. He sported a white button down shirt, a black tie, black pants and shoes to match. I stared at him in awe as he entered the room, and he returned his trademark stare back to me. I gave a soft swallow. His footsteps grew closer until they stopped only a few feet in front of me. I looked up at him.  
"Evening Miss. Lennox." He said calmly.  
I nodded my head, "Hello good doctor."  
His eyes gave out a shine of interest, "'Good doctor?' Why what an interesting way for a girl of your generation to greet a man she's never formally met before."  
I adjusted my posture. I didn't know how to reply to his statement, but he broke the pause, "Do you know why you are here?"  
I looked at him dumbfounded, "No doctor, I'm afraid I do not."  
He raised his eyebrows at me. His gaze remained on me only for a matter of seconds, then retreated to the walls of the cellar. He began pacing the room, "Do you know what this place is?"  
I looked around knowing it wouldn't help my knowledge, "Your fortress, sir?"  
He tilted his head my way, "It's your mind. 'Your fortress' rather."  
My eyes shifted around the cellar, _my mind? How?_ But there was a bigger question I craved to ask.  
I watched Dr. Lecter with caution, "Why are you here Dr. Lecter?"  
Dr. Lecter stood still; his eyes closed and he was in a state of euphoria. _It had been the first time I addressed him_. He turned to look at me in full view; his tone was soft, "To help Miss. Lennox. Only to help."  
I stood up and continued to stare at the mad man in front of me. _Help?_ He began to approach me, causing my body freeze. His words had paralyzed me, turning into his prey in a matter of seconds. Fleeing from him would only entice him more. As he was only inches away, I had to look up to keep eye contact with him. He was so close, his scent so bitter. He leaned in close to my face, until I met his cold eyes.  
His lips parted slowly, "Do I make you uncomfortable Miss. Lennox?"  
My throat was dry and my body grew stiff. He stared at me intently waiting for my answer. The more I thought about the question, the clearer the answer was. This man made me nervous, but not uncomfortable. My voice could not show apprehension to what I was about to say:  
"In all honesty, no Dr. Lecter. The environment that we are in is what frightens me the most."  
His face remained plastered to mine, the silence seemed to last a long time until he broke it with a light smile. I stared at this man in disbelief; there was no point in trying to read him. He turned away swiftly, making his way back to the wall he had previously entered in from. He replied back to me, "I'll be back with some proper seating Miss. Lennox." And somehow he exited through that wall once again, leaving me standing there in disbelief.

**A/N: Wow that was a fast chapter. So yeah sorry for lack of detail/back story about "the killings" Lecter preforms. I'm trying to recapt my dream as good as possible. Please R&R, I need some constructive advice (or criticism). And I am planning on posting the next chapter, but encouragment is always a charm!  
P.S. I have changed my name in this story  
P.P.S I will not adress Lecter as "Hannibal" (I don't feel worthy to call him his first name [haha])**


	2. Chapter 2

**A.N: So apparently this chapter got deleted? (...I don't know...) Well thank God I was planning on updating and noticed this (haha). Chapter 2 enjoy.**

Chapter 2: Harper

He didn't take long coming back into the room, bringing two foldable chairs with him. I seated myself on the floor once he had exited the room; my knees had begun to tremble after he had stared at me so closely. He planted a chair down for himself first, and then gave me a stare, "Stand Miss. Lennox." I did as he commanded and watched as he made his way to me. As he crept behind me to place my chair down, I could feel his eyes taking in my presence. I inhaled calmly; the chair was placed directly behind my legs, and exhaled once he retreated back to my frontal view. I sat down and adjusted my posture; he did the same. We had a good distance apart from each other. My nerves relaxed once I realized this; he was not in arms reach. His glare was stuck to me. _That stare_, I didn't know how to respond to it. I shuffled in my seat, _I hate silence. I always have._  
He leaned in my direction, "How old are you Miss. Lennox?"  
"Sixteen." I responded.  
"Still blooming, hmm?" He was smiling, but his eyes showed a darker motive, "The boys hunting you already?"  
I cleared my throat, "Not that I know of."  
"They're missing out."  
His flattery was irritating me, "Why are you here Dr. Lecter?"  
His smile faltered a bit, "What are you feeling right at this moment, Lennox?"  
My eyes focused in on him, but my tone was confused, "Relaxed I guess…"  
"Do you have sexual fantasies?"  
"What?"  
My annoyance pleased Dr. Lecter; he grew with pride, "Fantasies. I don't take you as the type to masturbate to pictures or faces. But that doesn't mean you have no sexual desire." He paused and examined my being, "You just merely hide it beneath your exterior."  
_His words hit me hard. Though they did not plainly show themselves, he was mocking me.  
_My hands clenched into fists, "I don't see how your question is relevant to my-"  
"It is a yes or no question Lennox! Which is it?"  
I swallowed hard, "Yes. Fine, yes."  
He closed his eyes slowly, "They told me the type of men you are into."  
_They?_  
He ignored my puzzled expression, "You are interested in fiction rather than reality, no?"  
I didn't have to think about his statement. It was completely true. Of course, like any ordinary girl, I have had my infatuations from time to time, but never anything else. I fell in love with the men I read and learned about. These fictional men that I knew couldn't hurt me do to inexistence. _But now…_  
"What does that have to do with you Dr. Lecter?"  
Dr. Lecter laughed. It startled me out of my skin. His laughter boomed off the walls and into my ears. _So loud it'll make your teeth feel sawed out._ He stood up from his chair and stood in front of me. I tensed in my seat and avoided his stare. I store at his stomach until he crouched down to my height, forcing me to look at his icy eyes. Our noses were inches apart, his breath was warm.  
"Do you know why you crave men of my _caliber_?"  
He was so close. _To close._ I felt weak and some tears forming in the back of my eyes, "Y-You're caliber?"  
His voice was cold, "Psychopaths, "dead men", vulgar, perverted, corrupt, ugly men." He inhaled loudly, "Men not deemed worthy to society. Men like me."  
My voice was breaking, "You are not all those things Doctor."  
He paused for a moment, his glare softened, "Nonetheless, why men of these types?"  
I shook my head and closed my eyes, "I don't know…" I felt broken and vulnerable to this man. My gaze stuck to the floor. He nodded to my response, and then leaned into my ear.  
My heart stopped and my fingers went numb. His breath ricocheted off my ear and heated my blood.  
A soft whisper, "I can tell you've never met a psychopath, a real one that is, in your life before,"  
I nodded my head.  
He continued, "Yet I will tell you this: you are handling it quite well." I felt him sniff my neck, and that made a dark blush creep onto my face. Despite not having a view on Dr. Lecter, I could feel his sadistic smile curl into place. I abruptly turned my face away from him only to hear him say:  
"They also told me I'm one of them."  
I gasped lightly only to meet his face. He had an amused smirk, but my concern was mainly the thought of 'what was he thinking?'. As my blush deepened he stood up and grabbed his chair. He moved it closer to me and took his seat, waiting for me to get my act back together.  
"That's the reason for you being here then, right?" My body was cold.  
He raised an eyebrow at me, "What is?"  
I cleared my throat, and relaxed my nerves, "You are going to help me see why I have such a "distinct" taste for men? Is that correct?"  
He gave me a wink with his left eye, "Smart girl _Harper_. Smart girl you are indeed."  
**  
A/N: (smiles) Read on...**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This was by far the hardest (and awkwardest) chapter to write so far. I hope I did okay with the Lecter bits, and I hope that I don't sound to stupid myself. Anywho, enjoy. **

Chapter 3: Vexation

Once I had told Lecter "the goal of our sessions", he had again abruptly left the room. I was curious to where he was going, or rather where we were and how he had access to that doorway, but I quickly lost interest. I fiddled with my while running endless questions through my head. I didn't enjoy the idea of Lecter knowing that he was amongst the men I was fascinated by, but it was out of my control. _They. He keeps saying they._ It's true many people knew about my "distinct" interest in men, but nothing really to core. I sighed in frustration and saw Dr. Lecter walk back in with a glass of water. I looked at the glass, then at him as he sat only a foot away from me.  
He offered me the glass; "Here"  
I looked at it with apprehension. The color was normal but my gut told me to refuse: "I'm fine but thank you." _Lie_.  
"It's not poisoned Harper."  
I averted my eyes from the glass, "I didn't think it was."  
Dr. Lecter nodded, his eyes showed a glint of curiosity. He took a small swig from the glass. When he removed his lips he lightly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and offered the glass to me a second time.  
The assurance that the glass wasn't poisoned is not what brought me to accept it. I was curious; _what did he have planned?_ I nodded at Lecter and accepted the glass from his hands. As he handed it to me I noticed that he had quickly turned the glass so the side he hadn't touched was now facing me. Maybe I didn't think he'd notice, but when I grabbed the glass I reversed it back to its previous state. As I drank down some of the water I heard Lecter give out a small chuckle. _He noticed_. I held the glass in my palms.  
"What was that?"  
My eyes remained on the rim of the glass, "What was what?"  
"Are you that persistent for physical contact?"  
A secret smile formed on my lips, "I didn't think you'd notice."  
A 'hmm' noise escaped his breath making my skin crawl. The way Hannibal Lecter showed lack of facial expression, yet said a lot through his aura, is what brought me to be so attracted to him. It secretly frightened me, mainly because I was not reacting to this situation like a 'sane' person would. I knew he could hurt me, I had no doubt of it, but it still hadn't clicked in me. I had a craving to push on, to see how much I could "get away with" in his company. Though deep down I knew the truth. This man was skilled in the art of mockery. My life was in his hand. I was alive by his blessing. I must have been in deep thought because he abruptly kicked my chair a little to the left.  
My senses went back to him, "What?"  
"You were daydreaming?" His tone was normal, but yet I sensed a hint of irritation. .  
"Deep apologies Dr. Lecter"  
"Don't use those types of fragments to impress me Miss Lennox. I can see past that trash."  
I raised my eyebrows, "Deep apologies Dr. Lecter."  
His expression darkened as quickly as he stood from his chair. I looked up at him and listened to his breathing, "Do you know how much I hate sarcasm?"  
_Don't push it._ "More than you use it?"  
"When did this sudden rebellious attitude arise in you?" _I hit a nerve_. "You obviously don't understand the position you're in." He turned away to glance behind him.  
_Stop talking._"What position is that?"  
Suddenly I felt rough hands grasp my shoulders and push my back harder into my seat. I closed my eyes at the sharp pain inflicted on my spine. I gave out a small grunt as Lecter's fingers pierced my shoulders. My pulse began to quicken. I looked into his maroon eyes and wondered if he would intend to do to me what he did to those doctors and lawyers.  
"You are at my mercy. Do you know what I could do to you?" His gaze sharpened, "Or with you?"  
I shuddered at his comment but couldn't remove my eyes from him.  
_He's testing me. He only wants to help, don't screw this up for yourself_, "You are right Doctor." _What could I say? I had talked so disrespectfully to him._ "I am at your mercy and I know what you are capable of. That is one of the reasons I respect you, of course there are many others but, nonetheless true." A painful lump began to form in my throat. " What can I do to redeem myself?"  
His hands remained on my shoulders, but the pressure did not lighten, "No redemption,"  
_  
Oh how his eyes reflect mirrors. _  
_How they make my bones break._

"But I obviously can't ignore my threat."

Before my mind could comprehend what was happening, my ear felt a sharp pain. I suddenly found myself on the ground, the chair knocked down behind me. I scrambled on the floor in pain. I was screaming and shaking out of shock. _What happened? _I felt blood dripping down my neck and trailing down my shirt. I lifted a hesitant hand to the side of my head. _He bit my earring off. He tore my earlobe! _I sobbed loudly at the pain in my left ear and felt the blood run through my caressing fingers. He must have tore the earring off with a lot of force, and yanked vigorously, because I was bleeding a quantity. I was sobbing directly on the floor, until I was hauled to a wall and forced to sit up. With a swift _smack_ I was sitting propped up against the wall and I saw Dr. Lecter hovering above me. My head was buzzing and my throat stung, but I turned my attention to Lecter. He had blood stained on his bottom lip and chin and his eyes were as cold as ever. _No mercy._  
He sat down casually in front of me, watching me cry. I turned my head away from his view, afraid he'd go after the other ear.  
Lecter grabbed my arm harshly; my pathetic eyes looked back at him in fear. He stroked my left cheek, analyzing the blood building up on my shielding-hand.  
"You're lucky I didn't _bite _the whole thing off. I was tempted." There was no remorse in his voice, there was no regret in his actions. He removed my hand from my raw ear. _God there was so much blood_. I began to whimper as I saw him approach my injured earlobe again. But he stopped just before touching the ear. He was smelling the blood, savoring the scent. He was going to speak again, his breath tingled the raw wound. _You're lucky I didn't bite the whole thing off. I was tempted,_ his words replayed in my skull.  
He spoke, "It was so delightful."  
_Where did my earring go?_

**A/N: ...I have no comment for the ending sentence (my brain works like this). I'd really appreciate some R&R, and I'll continue to update. If you have something to say (NO FLAMING) please do not hesitate. Thanks.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Special thanks to ThePurpleness and MarianKonig (I LOVE YOU TWO). I will be writing a LEGIT chapter soon after this posting. Keep an eye out. The italicized writing in here is based on a Persona poem I wrote about NEEDLES (Hence the chapter name. Creepy, huh?). Yeah I recited the thing in my dream, the heck right? Well enjoy this interlude...**

Chapter 4: _**Needles**_

_Do I make you uncomfortable?_

_My edge?_

_My shine?_

_Oh your anticipating eyes._

Lecter was still in the room. He said he tore too hard, but that was it. No apology. No regret. Nothing. I needed stitches.

_Shall I make you scream?_

_I am cleansed until cold,_

_Played with the doctors hands._

It wasn't until he brought out his instruments that I began to feel sick. They looked like the hospital equipment my sister looked up in her pastime. She told me majority of them looked painful and unsettling; god he kept such a straight-face in front of me.

_The penetration,_

_My penetration._

_Your skin tenses._

I breathed in as I saw Dr. Lecter sterilize his equipment, then pour some chloroform on a small rag. I didn't make a sound, because I didn't want to give him the satisfaction that he broke me then and there.

_Veins throbbing,_

_Veins calling._

_How lovely, the time has come._

As Dr. Lecter inched closer to me I hauled my body up from the ground. I was back in the same position I had been when he expressed to me his delight. _Do you hate him now?_ No. Of course not. _You're insane._

_I sink inside,_

_I hope you'll scream._

I could smell the chemical before it reached my face. Dr. Lecter scrunched down in front of me; he gave me an odd stare. _The stare a doctor gives to a child before a **vaccination**. _He looked at the rag then me. I nodded my head at him. _  
Your blood is mine now,_

He clasped both hands around my skull; he didn't want me to bang my head against the wall. I breathed in the chemical and struggled for awhile. He didn't remove the rag until-

_Our meeting has ended._

_Have a nice day._

**__**"Deep apologies Harper"

**A/N: Sorry for the REALLY short chapter, but it was needed. Plus it'll be easier to ease into the next chapter. God I love you Lecter. Please R&R and I hope to update soon.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This is by far the longest chapter I have written so far (doesn't help that this'll be a LONG A/N), but sadly there isn't BIG action here (just little bits). So we start to get into the point of the story, my problem with 'weird men', and let me clue you in on some details so you get how this dream came to be. Ever since I can remember, I have always been obsessed with creepy men, and I again am talking about fictional men. At a young age I was watching some mature things (I remember watching the movie SOTL when I was like...5 or 6 and I was already liking Hannibal Lecter then so...) and I immediantly became corrupted by all these things (I also read a lot of mature manga and watched mature anime, but that's besides the point). So by the time I was in like 5th grade I knew about graphic sex, all genres of books/manga, and had watched movies not recomended for children (No horror though, I'm not that crazy). So anywho, some examples of the weird men I love: Beetlejuice, the Joker, Hannibal Lecter, Sweeney Todd, The Caller from Phonebooth (WTF), etc. etc. And many of these aren't really threatning the way Dr. Lecter is but to 'normal' people it freaks them out that I can say easily, "Oh yeah, I'd do a threeway with Joker, Beetlejuice if given the chance." So yeah, get it (maybe)? So my sister would always mock me saying, "If you actually met a guy like Hannibal Lecter you would be afraid-out-of-your-mind." Then thankfully I had this dream, but with a twist that Dr. Lecter is actually trying to help me figure out why I love these types of guys. So yeah, beat that sis. So sorry for long authors note, read the chapter and enjoy.**

Chapter 5: Forbiddingly Amusing

It was warm, comfortable. The scent of bitter cinnamon enticed my nostrils. My lids felt so heavy. _Can I open them?_ When I tried my vision remained a blur. _Damn contacts, _I reached a hand over to rub my eyes. They slowly adjusted to the bright lights…I jolted in surprise as a wave of pain overflowed my head. I was still in the golden-cellar, 'my mind'. My arms were placed under my head neatly, comfortable enough, but I was warm. I turned to look at what was covering my upper frame. _A blanket?_ No, it was a blazer. Italian. I blushed at the sight of it. It was Lecters. The scent was so homely; I could've stayed intertwined in it much longer than needed. I nuzzled my face into the collar when it hit me: the stitches. I glided my hand up to feel the wounded ear. There were only a few stitches making a clean vertical line. They stung a bit; I'd never injured myself this seriously before, and I wasn't used to it. My fingers traced the stitching once more then I pushed myself up from the floor. The room had changed; a table was brought into the center of the room accompanying the two chairs. I folded the blazer into my arms and steadied myself up against the wall. My bones ached but I had to get to the table. The table was empty; I sat the blazer onto the opposing chair. I took my seat then a wave of concern hit me: _What time was it? How long had I been asleep? **Where is Lecter?**_ I folded my arms under me and burried my head into them. I was still tired despite my previous rest. I could feel my eyes slowly grow heavier and I was on the verge of falling asleep once again. A rough hand stroked through my hair. My shoulders tensed by instinct, I knew who it was.  
I rose my head up only so my words didn't sound muffled, "How long was I out?"  
"To long for my liking. I was getting bored."  
His fingers remained nestled in my hair, "Oh." I replied quietly. His fingers trickled through my locks and soon proceeded to trace the stitches on my ear. His nails lightly scraped against the tender wound, but it was a considerate touch. The same dark blush was creeping on my face, _why does he have to do that._ I turned my head to face him better. He had the same emotionless face, but his eyes were soft, for now. He removed his fingers from my ear and went around the table to his chair. I raised my body off of the table and straightened my posture. We sat there in silence for some time; I was too nervous to speak first, and I assumed that Dr. Lecter was pondering how he should start our next conversation properly.  
"You look agitated."  
"Do I?" I didn't think so, "I just hate silence is all..." My last words came out as a mumble.  
"Why do you hate silence Harper?"  
For an instant my nerves cramped, it hurt, _this hurt._ Not just the question but the fact that I knew where this was going. First it's the interrogation and then it leads deeper. My gaze remained on Lecter, I was bitter, "Because I hate being alone. To me silence is the same thing as 'solitary' and I hate it."  
Dr. Lecter intertwined his fingers together, "So that's why the environment makes you uncomfortable, right? Just like you said earlier."  
I nodded.  
"Are you afraid you will be abandoned Harper?"  
_Abandoned?_ "What do you mean? By family?"  
He shook his head, "No society."  
"I don't give a damn about _this_ society. It'll kill itself in time."  
"Even though that may be true, it can still bother you deep down, no?"  
I tapped my fingers lightly on the table, "It can, but it doesn't."  
Dr. Lecter smiled, "I've had many patients in my career Miss Lennox, as you must now, and despite your, frankly, dull social life you are still quite amusing."  
I folded my arms and stared at Dr. Lecter.  
"It's a compliment Harper."  
_I knew that_, I just didn't know how to respond. When he said it his voice may have sounded 'harmless' but there was a shiver slowly making its way down my spine. I didn't know how to react correctly. _I may as well be polite, _"Thank you then."

* * *

As the day progressed Dr. Lecter and I just talked. It seemed like we had been talking for a long time, I couldn't know for sure, and thankfully it was a much better experience than yesterdays. And the peculiar thing about it was that most of it was spontaneous. Nothing was really relating to one another, it was just..._normal_. Of course at some point we did get to our initial topic:  
"I don't know where it started from."  
"Everything has an origin Lennox."  
"I know that, but I honestly don't know when."  
Dr. Lecter continued to stare me down, waiting for me to remember.  
_I don't know, _I thought about it. I thought about it so hard. All these men, these 'eccentric' men, I was intrigued and aroused by. Men of fiction; I would never actually meet men like these. Then came the epiphany:  
"Maybe it goes back to not being alone."  
Lecter raised an eyebrow, "How?"  
"Well," I took a deep breath, "When I started middle school I grew very ill for majority of the school year. I'd be home sick, alone. Since there was no one there I began to read and 'research' more to pass time. I guess I grew dependent on these fictional characters because they weren't like people. I had them to myself; I learned their attitudes, their lives. I knew they couldn't hurt me, they could be _mine_. Even after I got over my illnesses over the school years, I was still doing the same thing. Finding more men to be infatuated with, continuing the cycle." The words came out so quickly. I must've sound depressed as I spoke; I was staring at my knuckles.  
Dr. Lecter breathed quietly, "You know yourself to core don't you?"  
My gaze softened, "I love myself Doctor."  
"How do you treat others?"  
"I treat everyone equally. But if someone hurts me for no reason, I will hurt them in return."  
"Are you going to try and bite my ear then?" He gave me a suggestive wink.  
I stiffened in my seat, my face was burning. I dug my fingers into my palm, "No...you had a reason for what you did..."  
"True. But still, it makes you rethink what you said, no?" He cleared his throat softly, "And as for your 'self analysis' you are forgetting one big detail."  
"What?"  
"You crave these men forbiddingly."  
_Forbiddingly._  
"You may tell some people about your infatuations, but definitely not all of them. I know why do you?"  
"Yes."  
"Why?"  
"Because a lot of the men are...unacceptable by 'normal' standards."  
"You hide these cravings from people you know who affect you the most."  
I nodded, _my parents_.  
"Why do you hide? What are you afraid they'll do?"  
I laughed hysterically, "Dr. Lecter they'll think I'm insane."  
He stayed quiet, letting me vent.  
"Of course they would think I'm insane. Because they already know I'm not 'normal' or anything along those lines. Ever since I was a kid, I've been...different. I know they can't just accept ALL of me."  
Lecter broke in, "That doesn't change the facts."  
I sighed in frustration.  
"You love these men more because you're not supposed to."  
I put my head back in between my arms as I had earlier, "Don't make me sound so cliché."  
He rolled his eyes, "The truth can be cliché."  
I burrowed my head more into my arms. I had a headache and I wanted to get out of this cellar; but like hell I was going to ask Lecter how to get out. I felt some hands grasp onto my shoulders, I didn't even hear him get up, I kept my head nestled between my arms. Lecter abruptly turned my whole chair around in one swift motion. He did it so fast I almost found myself slipping onto the floor; thankfully he helped me keep my balance.  
I stared at him confusingly, "Was I spacing out while you were talking again?"  
"No."  
"Thank goodness"  
Dr. Lecters hands began stroke to through my hair. I closed my eyes, I couldn't stare at him as he did this. He stopped and tapped my cheek a bit harder than I would've like. I looked up at him waiting for his next statement. He blinked slowly but never said anything. My sight remained on his eyes, and for once the silence didn't bother me. _Not with him at least._ I studied his eyes, he studied mine. My lips parted slowly, "What did you do to those people?"  
His focus stopped, and he averted his eyes to my ear. He traced the stitching again making me shudder. I reached to touch his hand but he quickly removed it from my ear. My hand slowly went back to my lap, I waited for an answer.  
It never came.

**A/N: Whenever I dream of men I always think they smell like bitter cinnamon...weird huh? (Why Dr. Lecter? Why?) Please R&R for this chapter, it's my first long/serious chapter and I'd like some feedback (what you like or disliked). Especially tell me about how I'm writing Lecter (I know you've been telling me I'm doing good, but still...). Hope to update soon!  
P.s. Yes I do wear contacts, just normal ones (not colored).**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I am not to proud of this chapter...(ugh). This has more description in it then anything but all I can say is wait for the next one, it'll be better (I promise). I do however like the chemistry I am building with Lecter in this one. Read on.**

Chapter 6: Victims

I stared at Dr. Lecter, _why was he so shaken up by the question?_ I averted my gaze down to my palms and wondered along the lines of "what now"? Lecter turned to look at the wall with the hidden doorway. I looked in the same direction as he did. _What was behind there? Was it still my mind?_  
Before I even said a word Lecter answered my question, "You'd try to leave."  
I gulped, "You want me to stay then?"  
He turned away from the doorways view, "I can't have you turning me in."  
"That offends me Doctor."  
He stayed watched as my un-amusement build.  
I crossed my arms and stared at Lecter, "I would not do that to you." I spoke those words slowly but firmly.  
Dr. Lecter pointed at his blazer, still residing in the seat parallel to me, "Bring it please."  
I got up from my chair and grabbed the Italian blazer, folding it neatly in my arms. I handed it to Lecter, staring at him to show I was serious. _I wouldn't turn him in, I couldn't_. When Lecter had his blazer he began to fiddle with the inside pockets. He took out a thick piece of cloth, but I couldn't identify what it was; he had quickly stuffed it in his right pocket. I sat back into my chair and began to chew on my thumb nail.  
"That's disgusting"  
"Bad habits usually are."  
"Then stop."  
I ceased biting my nails, "Sorry."  
Dr. Lecter inched closer to me, "Listen."  
I had my full attention on Lecter; his arms trapped me all of a sudden. Both arms were placed to block both of my sides. I gulped slightly.  
"If I take you out of this room, there will be _rules_ and _consequences_."  
My heart began to race, _finally_.  
Dr. Lecter took out that piece of cloth from his pocket. It was a blindfold. I looked at it apprehensively, but I had to get out of this room. He showed it to me in full view, "You wear this, you don't make a sound or ask questions. If you run…" he paused, "well, you're an artist right?"  
_Dear god_, I got the message. I agreed and he immediately put the blindfold tightly on me. I couldn't see anything and tried reaching a hand out to grasp his arm. Nothing. I swung again, hitting something hard. I yelped, it was the table's edge.  
I heard some light laughter. I blushed in frustration.  
Lecter extended his arm to me, "So eager to leave?"  
I hooked onto Lecter's right arm tightly and he began leading me in the direction of the doorway. Before he opened it he shook me lightly, "Remember, not a word." I nodded at Lecter and was led out of the doorway.

The air was cold. It smelled fairly normal, but I knew it probably looked unpleasant. After a few seconds of walking I was halted. Lecter spoke quietly, "There are a few stairs." I was about to reply but instead gave one quick nod. He led me down a flight of stairs. As we went down I counted the steps, _1…2…3…4_…there were 12 steep steps. A loud thump noise suddenly erupted. I jolted lightly against Lecter; my head, despite knowing I couldn't see, began 'looking' around the room feverishly. A strong arm rapidly pulled me into another unknown room. Lecter released his arm from my grip and closed the door. I heard a jingle of keys, he began to lock the door, and then he scurried around the room. The unknown room had a new faint smell; he was lighting candles. Lecters rough hands grabbed the sides of my face. I froze wondering what was going on, but he was only trying to take the blindfold off me. The room was lit very dimly by the candles; it would take awhile for my eyes to adjust to the new setting. Lecter retrieved to a recliner and gave me a gesture to sit. I turned behind me to see if there was a chair. There wasn't, instead there was a bed. My nerves tensed and I looked around sheepishly. _Was this his bed?_ I bit my bottom lip and looked back at Lecter. He was drinking out of a glass not paying attention to me. I sighed quietly and sat on the bed. I couldn't see a damn thing; I guess Lecter took a hint, so he began to light more candles. When finally could see the room's décor I began to explore it. I examined the the furniture, and the walls, it was a big room, and then my eyes stopped to the right of me. There was a clock, _how did I not hear that before?_ As I looked at it, it seemed familiar. It was shaped like a human heart. A secret smile formed on my lips, _Desmond_. I returned my focus to the rest of the room. There were pictures on a desk next to Lecter.  
I spoke quietly, "Doctor…"  
"Yes Harper?"  
"May I look?"  
Lecter gave an approving nod, allowing me to walk over to the desk and look. He kept a keen eye on me as I looked at the pictures laid out on the desk. Majority of them looked like 'magazine family' pictures. Happy people, perfect people, having a good time somewhere inexistent. A photo shortly caught my eye. It was a photo of a man with his wife and their two sons. I examined the picture more intently then I would have thought. Had I seen it in a magazine before? No, not a magazine. It looked too familiar; it definitely wasn't a professional photo. As I examined the photo I looked at the other ones. _They aren't professional either…_The man in the photo…The family in the photo…  
_My eyes widened. My heart ached. My pulse quickened._  
I looked around the desk feverishly, looking at each of the photos. No, they were normal families, ordinary people.  
**_I grew numb._**  
I realized what this was. I could hear my heartbeat echo off of the room's walls. _Lecter._ I turned towards him slowly.  
He was already staring at me.  
His eyes reflected the shock that consumed me. I wasn't expecting this, neither was he. We both knew at the same time, we both figured it out in unison.  
_I knew the family in the photo._

**A/N: Yep, so that's it. Please R&R and wait for the next, more intresting, chapter. Happy reading. Oh and if anyone got the heart-shaped clock reference, I tip my hat to you.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: SO SORRY FOR THE LONG UPDATE! I needed help on this chapter, thank God for MajorBachman my new beta-reader! So big thanks to you MajorBachman, you helped me edit a BIG load of this chapter and I am eternally grateful (I hope my readers are too). Aside from that, there will be some OOC-ness from Lecter, I'm sorry but it has to be done in this and the next chapter (it's not THAT dramatic, but still sorry for that). And from my analyzation, I think there will be only 9 or 10 chapters for this story (sad face). Happy reading.**

Chapter 7: Arise

_When I was in my mother's womb I became ligyrophobic. My father and my mother had gone to a theater to see a movie before I was due in January. The loud noises of bombs, the gunfire, the screaming of victims. My mother told me that I had kicked her endlessly, causing her pain and nausea; they had to leave the theater. From that day on, I grew up paranoid of loud noises. So how does silence frighten me more? _

The clock's ticking echoed in the room. **_Tik-tok. Tik-tok. Tik. Tok. Tik… Tok…_**  
**Tik…**  
It suddenly felt claustrophobic; the room didn't feel grand anymore. The walls flexed and twisted and they enclosed me.  
_I'm trapped!_  
The candles were beginning to melt onto their candelabras. My heart beat grew in sync with the Desmond-clock sitting on a pile of books.  
Lecter's eyes wandered from me to the photo in my hand. My eyes froze onto Lecters. His nostrils were flaring with rage. He stood up from the recliner he had sat upon like a throne and looked over my form to glance at the photograph in my hand. His Adams-apple tensed as he swallowed.  
My lips parted carefully, "Why do you have this?"  
Lecter stayed silent.  
A shallow breath exited my lips, "Dr. Lecter why won't you answer me?"  
"You know him."  
"Yes" I retorted, "He is my pediatrician, Dr. Lynch."  
"For how long?"  
I swallowed the lump forming in my throat, "Thirteen years."  
Dr. Lecter's eyes closed, he tried snatching the photo away from my hands. I immediately pulled away from his reach, bumping into the desk.  
I pressed the photo into my chest, clutching it tightly, "Answer me doctor."  
Dr. Lecter huffed at me with anger, closing his eyes slowly to calmly breathe in. His fingers lightly moved around a photo in front of him. He was contemplating his words, how to make me understand. He was as surprised as I was, and that certainly did not please him one bit. All I could do was analyze him and this whole mess. It sank deeper in me that I wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon. I was trapped here; oblivious to what reckonings at would come. _Would I be killed? Was Lecter still trying to help me? _The _shakings _started.  
Dr. Lecter produced a loud sigh, his hand gestured to his previous seat, "Sit Harper."  
I became hesitant; _I didn't want to be here._ The ticking of the clock rang in my ears loudly.

_I was breaking._

Then I felt pressure, Lecter latched onto my arm suddenly and it caused me to jerk away violently. He stared at me, confused by my sudden change in behavior, but he wouldn't release. I grew paranoid; I could suddenly hear everything inside the room. The truth was finally settling into my mind. The pictures, the killings, Dr. Lynch and his family, Lecter. I was finally terrified by the man in front of me. My eyes stung and my body clenched into a tight grip. I let my emotions get the better of me; I didn't care if he broke me anymore. I dropped to the floor effortlessly, but that grip was still firm. As Lecter tried to haul me up, I refused by yanking my arm back to my side. I yelled at him to let my arm go and to my surprise he did. My arm flopped onto the floor with a hard thump. I pulled it up to cover my face. Then I cried. I cried into my hands, the pain kept growing. I felt like a child having a tantrum, I just needed to vent. Then a mantra:  
When it passes, it passes.  
Again.  
When it passes, it passes.  
Faster.  
When it passes, it passes!  
My insides were panicking, bunched up in knots of paranoia.  
_  
And then warmth. Soothing warmth coated over my body._

It was an embrace and I melted into it unwillingly. I smelled that bitter scent and it intertwined my senses mercilessly. I didn't understand, _what happened to his anger?_ I pulled away from him to wipe my face, not wanting to stain him. As I breathed in some weary breaths, I felt his touch. I looked at his hand grabbing my arm again. There was no force. He led me to the recliner and sat me down. I hugged myself around the waist tightly, feeling like my bones would break then and there.  
Lecter's hand caressed my shoulder and I tried to calm myself, the shakiness in my voice still lingered, "P-Please Doctor…" I was choking back some lingering tears, "Say something…Why do you have a picture of Lynch and his family?"  
He breathed loudly; he held himself against the backrest of my chair. His eyes wouldn't keep off the photos; he looked as if he was in a state of nostalgia.  
My head proceeded to hang down, my veins stiffened.  
"You killed him didn't you?"  
Nothing.  
"All of them?" _Each family_.  
Dr. Lecter glanced back at me slowly. The tears were building up; he mouthed the word 'yes'. My eyes closed and I lowered my head. I finally saw it, why people feared him. _Do you hate him now?_  
I clasped my hands together, my nails looked hideous, "You killed all of them?"  
Dr. Lecter knelt down in front of me until we were nose-to-nose. His hands clasped both sides of my face; his maroon eyes pierced my sanity.  
"I didn't kill the _families_." He put emphasis on the word. He raised his index finger in my frontal view, "Just one person from each."  
I closed my eyes, "The fathers?"  
"But…"  
My eyes shot open, "But?" I retorted back.  
His gaze drifted back to the Lynch photo. I knew what he was looking at, but something in his eyes stood out to me; there was something different in them. They looked…morose. My head tilted to the side to get a better view of his face. His hand wandered down from my cheek to my lap while his body slumped down a bit, using the chair as support. My focus remained on Lecter; his head was slowly slumping down until he was staring at the floor.  
He shook his head, "They shouldn't have been there."  
I listened to Lecter's voice; it was torn between the feelings of rage and defeat.  
He gritted his teeth, "Those damn kids and his**-**" Lecter arose from the floor and unexpectedly thrashed at the desk. I jolted up in surprise and saw Lecter repeatedly thrash his fists against the desk. The commotion Lecter was making made my nerves panic, I got up from the recliner and stepped back from Lecter. I instinctively covered my ears to avoid the loud clamor. It wasn't until a minute passed that Lecter stopped, breathing exhaustively, his shoulders rising up stiffly. He remained over the desk, his back to me. I removed my hands slowly from my ears and blinked. I didn't know what to do; the clock said 7:45pm. I started towards Lecter, picking up the Lynch photo. Dr. Lynch, his wife and two sons. They looked like a loving family. I stood behind Lecter; his muscles tensed harshly against his shirts fabric.  
"Dr. Lecter..."  
He didn't respond.  
"Tell me!" I yelled at him.  
He turned his head around to look at me.  
I clenched my fists, _tell me_.  
He gave me a glare, "You are so aggravatingly persistent Harper."  
I stepped closer to him, "I know doctor, so save yourself some time and tell me." Dr. Lecter circled around and reached out to grab me, but my words cut him off, "Just admit it to yourself,"  
His hand stopped midway, he looked at me curiously.  
I continued, "That this, whatever it maybe, didn't go right." His hand retreated back to his side.  
I can't describe Dr. Lecter's stare. Some might say it's _sinister_, or even _deceptive_.  
I mouthed the word 'please' to him.

I say it's _alluring_.

**A/N: Yep, we are going to see why Lecter's acting so weird. So I hope this wasn't a bad chapter for you guys, please R&R to tell me how you feel and etc. I need to please you all as well. Another big THANK YOU for MajorBachman, my intelligent friend. I hope the next update won't take to long, but I'm going back to school tomorrow (those bastards) so no promises (sorry). Stay tuned.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: GAH, long update!(SORRY) I've been busy with school and my internet is on the fritz right now (AGH). But hey I managed to get this up today (HUZZAH). I want everybody to thank MajorBachman for editing this (weird)fic, because he had to deal with all the "Erk-ness" within the end of this chapter (oh yeah). So I thank you my dearest beta-reader for dealing with my eccentricity and I'm sorry for all that I've put you through (haha). The next chapter will be the last for this FF (sad face). So some more OOCness from Lecter~ (Sorry I can't keep him in character in my dream, but if you don't like it just exit out or forget what you just read...mkay'?) Try to enjoy...**

Chapter 8: Embraced by Ignorance

_It had been a busy day at the clinic, but rewarding. Sighing contently, Dr. Lynch closed the door behind him. He and his wife Karen were planning on taking their boys, Levi and Seth, on a last vacation before the school year started. For a long time they had wished to see Ireland and all its pleasantries. They were going to be leaving for the airport tonight; their flight would be leaving at 2 am. As he approached the house he noticed it was fairly dark. He nodded in approval; Karen must have told the boys to turn off all lights and unplug all outlets before they took their leave. He opened the garage and reversed into it. As he began departing from his vehicle to help out with the luggage, he remembered the outdoor shed still needed to be locked. He picked up the pair of keys hanging from the hook, and started to the backyard. His house was located by a nearby pasture, nothing big but it was a decent piece of land. As Lynch pulled on the lock tightly to make sure it was secure, he heard a rustle from behind. He smiled; it was probably one of his sons trying to sneak up on him. He released the lock and lingered there for awhile, he turned around swiftly, attempting to scare his perpetrator back, but he didn't meet one of his sons. A metal bar crashed into his skull whipping his body back effortlessly against the shed door. He produced a loud groan but was immediately silenced. Lecter grabbed him by his collar and dragged him deeper into the pasture. He propped him up against a tree and continued to hit him ruthlessly._  
_One,_  
_Two._  
_Break._  
_Three,_  
_Four._  
_Every time Golin tried to cry in pain,_ _he was silenced by another blow; he was hanging on by a single breath. His eyes widened and let out one last gasp that translated into one word, "Run." As Lecter gave Lynch one last hit he sensed someone behind him. Then he heard the sound of running feet. He swung his head around only to see figures already out of visual distinction running back in the houses direction. Lecter grasped the bar in frustration. He silently approached the house, barely seeing any lights flicker inside. He entered through the open garage and opened a door that trailed into the house. The door led him into a dimly lit kitchen; it was empty. He stepped in quietly until he reached a living room. There were two sets of stairs; one leading down, to a lower level, and one leading up to more rooms. Lecter proceeded up the stairs, hearing creaking within the old walls. Once at the top of the stairs, the hallway was completely dark. He stayed in place for awhile, trying to hear for panicked breathing. He started forward passing open rooms; obviously unoccupied. Suddenly he heard a creak, a footstep over head. As Lecter continued forward he noticed a door-like anomaly in the wall. Lecter pushed it and it opened silently, revealing another set of stairs. As he walked up, something unexpected came to view._

"Paintings."  
"Paintings?" I repeated aloud.  
Lecter and I were sitting on his bed, the Lynch photo filling in the gap between our forms.  
He nodded, "Beautiful paintings. The scent of acrylic still freshly applied."  
I nodded.  
He continued, "Once I entered the 'secret' room, I knew whoever had spotted me was hiding there. It was an obvious fact."  
He stared at the photo, focusing in on Lynch's wife.  
I broke in, "Karen loved to paint."  
His focus remained on the photo as he addressed me, "You've seen her work before?"  
I intertwined my fingers, "She painted a few rooms in the children's ward at Dr. Lynch's clinic."  
Lecter looked at me for a while but did not speak. After he turned back to the picture, he spoke again.  
"She was …"  
_Karen held Levi and Seth to her chest, each was crying into their mother. She stared at Lecter's face, tears rolled down her sides, but she kept her demeanor calm for the sake of her sons._  
"She begged for her sons. That's all she could do in my presence. I did not want to jeopardize myself, so I did what I had to do. It was not planned."  
_He got out his knife. Karen clutched her sons closer, covering their eyes with her hands and closed her own._  
"I had to do it," Lecter simply stated.  
He paused and looked at my face. I was tense in my seat, but no tears had fallen, "You regret it doctor?"  
He didn't respond to my statement, "Do you know the difference between male and female suicide?"  
I blinked at his sudden change of conversation, "What?"  
"Do you?"  
I opened my mouth attempting to answer, but was instead cut off by Lecter, "Men who perform acts of suicide tend to do a 'messy job' at it. They might jump in front of a train, kill themselves from high elevation, run into traffic, or even shoot themselves." His eyes darkened, "Women on the other hand perform what we'd call a 'clean' suicide. They overdose, poison themselves, or perform acts of suffocation. They don't 'stain' themselves the way men do." Lecter picked up the photo and stared at Karen's face, "I only have one regret: That this woman deserved a more clean and respectable death." He exhaled loudly, "Not while caressing the lives of her children."  
"Doctor," I gulped, "did you still have the metal bar when you entered the gallery room?"  
His eyes flicked away from the photo and instead stared at me intensely.  
"Yes." He stated.  
Cautiously, I grabbed the photo out of his hand; our eyes never left each other as I put the photo down on the bed. I stared at him intently, "Why didn't you beat her and her children with it then?"  
He didn't respond.  
"You didn't want her to suffer…her or her sons."  
His eyes relaxed into a daze but his focus still remained on my words. _Correct._  
I shifted in my seat, "You are a kind man."

**_Silence._**

A cold breeze passed us in the room. I broke the gaze by blinking nervously. _What the hell did I just say?_ Those five words slipped out so quickly that I…I felt my fingers go numb and my lips burned. I looked up at Lecter; he gave me an unreadable stare.  
I stuttered, "I…I don't know why I…What I mean is…"  
His hand cut me off; there was no point in explaining myself. He understood. I sighed, feeling oddly nervous by my comment, I wasn't lying but it just sounded odd to say out loud. Lecter was about to say something but stopped. He looked up at the ceiling. I looked at him quizzically and stared up to see what he was looking at. Nothing.  
I looked back at him, "Doctor?"  
"Do you hear that?"  
I listened again, another short pause, "Hear what?"  
He looked back at me, "They are coming for you."

It took me awhile to comprehend his words. _They are coming for you._  
A sudden bang erupted overhead. I looked up at the ceiling, studying the racket, and then another bang.  
I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear, "Doctor..."  
"They won't be able to break through so easily." He stated in a 'matter-of-fact' tone, he turned to me.  
I inhaled calmly, "How will you leave without being spotted?"  
He looked at the door; and I as well, he continued, "Tunnels." He paused to hear the harsh commotion above, "I remember your promise, you won't turn me in right?"  
"I will not."  
"Then I will not use the chloroform again."  
My fingers gripped the sheets, "May I ask you something doctor?"  
"You may."  
My chest was aching, "Will we meet again?"  
His breathing echoed in my ears and he turned his gaze on my face. His eyes softened on my features and he licked his lips lightly. I looked down, retreating my gaze, and saw him arise from his side of the bed. He stood over me as he did so many times prior but there was no threat in his demeanor. He leaned down until his forehead was pushed against mine; his fingers slowly moving the bangs away from my face. I closed my eyes and accepted the warm touches, feeling his hot breath against my skin.  
My voice came out so quiet that I wondered if he even heard, "Are you my _keeper_?"  
His voice came out as quiet as mine, "Your _keeper_?"  
I nodded, my eyes still shut, "You'll still be watching me after this..."  
I could feel his lips curl, "Would you like me to?"  
"Certainly."  
"Then open your eyes for me."  
I obeyed and found two maroon orbs reflecting back at me. My heart continued to race gradually; the commotion above was growing louder.  
_They're almost here_.  
"Thank you Lecter."  
He disconnected us and stood up to search through the room. He stopped at the desk and opened a drawer to grab a pair of keys. As he continued to calmly shuffle around the room, I stood up and walked over to the desk. I picked up his Italian blazer and I tenderly unfolded it, waiting for him to turn around. When he did he motioned to take the blazer from my hands. I shook my head and instead proceeded behind his form. He turned to look at me from behind, watching as I planted the ravish fabric against his shoulders. He returned his view ahead of me, accepting my offer. I smiled softly and assisted Lecter. I glided the left sleeve over his arm slowly, feeling the contours of his body and savoring the feeling; and did the same with the right side. When I finished he turned around to face me; my stare lingered on him. He looked down at my hands as I slowly began buttoning up his coat, smoothing the front out when I was finished. We were so close. My hands gently glided up his broad chest until I reached his face. I cautiously placed them, my fingers mildly rubbing his features.  
_Remember his face._  
I removed my hands slowly, "Be careful."  
As soon as my hands retrieved from his face, he planted his on mine. I breathed in softly, hoping my being wouldn't break at this moment. I nuzzled my cheek into his left palm. We lingered in this stance for a moment, only for it to be broken by Lecter leaning down to gently kiss my forehead. I immediately grabbed for his hand, clutching it tightly, "Goodbye."  
Lecter abruptly pulled me into him. My eyes closed so harshly against him, his embrace was so powerful. He whispered into my ear, "_Find me._" Just as quickly, he released his grip on me. He advanced to the door, granting me one last look, and shut it quietly, locking it from the outside. I choked back my emotions and pressed myself onto the nearest wall. His footsteps had faded so quickly that I wished I had had time to count them. Hot streams of tears strolled down the corners of my face and a hand cupped my mouth shut. _No more._

I looked up at the ceiling and grew into a daze. Time passed, but who knew how much? Certainly not me. I was embraced by ignorance and released by Lecter. The Desmond clock ticked away.

I did not notice when the police broke in, or rather _I didn't want to_ at the moment.

**A/N: ...**

**Just review it...(I don't know what else to say...NO REGRETS)**

**and go thank MajorBachman for reading this bizarre chapter (I thank you again good sir. FOR EVERYTHING). **

**Hopefully I'll see you for the finale.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: The final instalment of "A Gentleman". I want two thank two people in particular: ThePurpleness, for following this FF from the beginning and reviewing regularly (I LOVE YOU). And my beta-reader MajorBachman (I LOVE YOU TOO) for editing chapters 7-9, which I'm eternally grateful for because those were the most important/difficult chapters to write. Without your advice, I don't think I would have been as happy with them as I am now. I also thank all the readers who actually read this FF, and I hope you enjoyed it from beginning to end. Thank you.  
**

Chapter 9: What He Is

_Bewilderment_, everything was replaying through my mind so fast. I sat against the wall and slumped until I was hugging my knees. I looked down to the door's crack, a dim light glared through. I buried my head into my arms, it was all over now. Sirens were now blasting from the outside causing me to flinch slightly at the distant sound. The same loud commotion was being made above; they were still trying to break through the doors. The riot grew closer and closer until it stopped at the door. I expected to feel relieved to leave this 'place', but strangely enough I wasn't. I didn't feel at peace, I felt worse. The noises around me made my stomach clench and I wished I had been left alone until I was out of this trance.  
_  
So loud it'll make your teeth feel sawed out._

Suddenly I felt hands clasp onto my shoulders. I didn't acknowledge the touch, it wasn't real to me. One of the officers tilted my face to look up at him; I saw his mouth moving, but nothing registered. Some other officer gave the door another kick and that dreaded wave of loud commotion outside suddenly hit my ears. I clasped my ears to shut out the noise and began screaming. I turned my body away from the shocked officer and screamed into the wall. I didn't understand anymore, it didn't make sense. I was finally feeling the pain and emotions I should have with Lecter: fear and angst. _Why now? Why when I was finally safe from him?_ The police officer tried to calm me, and then tried to uncover my ears, but I refused all of his advances. My anxiety was out of control, _it was out of my control._  
_How could they expect me to get a grip on myself after all that had happened to me?_  
_How would they act, trapped in a place with Hannibal Lecter, MD, PhD, whatever?_  
_How...?_

**_They can't. Ms. Lennox. They weren't there._**  
**_Please compose yourself. No need to make things vexatious._**

My eyes shot open.  
_Dr. Lecter?_  
I shivered at the thought of his voice cooing me. And strangely enough, it calmed my nerves. I found myself leaning into the officer's chest; who was relieved that I was finally responsive. Again, he reached to remove my hands from my ears. I didn't struggle this time. As he pulled at my wrists, my hands loosened their grip. The officer talked into a radio on his shoulder, looking at me as he spoke into it. He slowly lifted me to my feet, allowing me to use him as support. Once I was safely standing, he cautiously led me to the door. Before we approached the outside something came over me, or rather a thought did. Lecter had covered my eyes when we walked through the outsides of these rooms. He didn't want me to see anything, and I found myself having no urge. I dug my face into the officers side, closing my eyes shut. That dull scent enticed my nostrils again as we walked out of the room. But I was led in another direction than Lecter's. We went down some long hallway until we stopped at a door. I felt a cold breeze; the outside's air. When I heard the doors close behind me, I retreated my face from the officer's body. Outside there were multiple police cars and two ambulances on standby. I breathed in the cool air and watched as my breath made a faint cloud. I suddenly heard a crying voice scream my name. I turned to see my mother running at me; my father trailing behind. When she reached me, she pulled me to her and embraced me tightly. My father joined the embrace. I could feel the tears she cried, as well as my father's. Within my parents lock I cried in relief. As their clutch tightened I saw another familiar figure running over to us; it was my sister.

_It was over. It was done. No more._

I was sitting on the backside of one of the ambulances, wrapped in a blanket, and watched as the police entered in and out of the mysterious building; it had at one time been a factory, I was told. I then turned my attention to my parents, and watched as Officer Horston, the officer who led me out of Lecter's room, talked to them. I saw how he pointed to his own earlobe; I assumed he was talking about the stitches. I felt a hand touch my shoulder softly, I looked up to see my sister. She sat next to me and briefly hugged me. It took awhile before she spoke. Her voice came out quiet, "Are you okay?"  
I smiled lightly at her, "I'm fine. I just...I'm just glad I'm out of there."  
She nodded and exhaled loudly, her breath leaving a cloud above us, "They say the bastard fled away...probably hiding out somewhere." She crossed her arms, "I hope they find the monster and kill it this time."  
Her words were harsh, but I understood her feelings. _She was worried. She thought that was what I wanted to hear. She didn't know how I really felt about him..._The cold was getting to me; I secured the blanket over my frame like a cape as I reached my hands into my pockets for some warmth. I twitched in surprise; there was something in my left pocket. I clasped my fingers around the unknown object and was dumbfounded at what I saw. I had pulled out a small, pale envelope. I hid the new found object under my blanket, not wanting my sister to see, and inspected it curiously. On the back was elegant script, it stated:

**_86560_**

**_-H_**.

I looked at it curiously. Behind me, my sister continued to vocalize her thoughts, "He's a sick man." I opened the envelope's small hatch and felt something slip out onto my hand. A brief gleam hit my eye and I found myself smiling.

_It was my earring._

I clutched it in my hand and closed my eyes slowly. _He's a sick man?_

_"No..._

_He is a gentleman."_

**A/N: Again readers, thank you so much for your reviews and comments. Yes after this dream I had multiple ones with Lecter (like 2 weeks worth), but I don't think they are worthy of becoming FFs (Atleast they wouldn't be as 'good'/'make sense' as this one). If there is a big request for me to write one on here, I will for an extra chapter for this story, but I don't intend to. But I'm open for suggestions...  
Well...that's it. Please leave any last comments and I hope you had a...good time(?) Ha, I don't know.  
_Ta-ta._**


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